Justin M. Bowen
Taj Snavely plays with the bubble feature at Lied Children’s Museum Wednesday as the museum announced they will be relocating to the Smith Center for the Performing Arts.
By Erin Dostal
Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2010 | 1:21 p.m.
Map of The Society Inc
4104 Cathedral Falls Ave, North Las Vegas
As Myron Martin made a big announcement at the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum Wednesday morning, yards away, dozens of kids yelled and played, blowing giant bubbles or shopping in a fake grocery store.
Martin, who is president and CEO of The Smith Center for the Performing Arts, was announcing the center would house the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum once the complex is complete in March 2012. The museum is currently at 833 Las Vegas Blvd. N., where officials discussed the new site during a Wednesday news conference.
The Smith Center and museum will be adjacent to Grand Central Parkway in downtown Las Vegas.
“The children’s museum exists to inspire kids. The Smith Center exists to inspire people of all ages,” Martin said. “I’m most excited about the synergies that are created.”
Martin said the Smith Center, which has been in development for more than 10 years, will be a world-class performing arts center. It will host plays, musical performances and other cultural events, officials said.
Once it relocates to Symphony Park with The Smith Center, the children's museum will be renamed the Discovery Children’s Museum, dropping the name of its previous donor.
Las Vegas is the largest U.S. city without a world-class performing arts center, Martin said.
Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman said he thought the center would be an important contribution to the city’s cultural offerings, serving locals and fostering a sense of community.
“The city council had a vision,” he said. “We wanted to establish an area of the downtown that would be one for the ages.”
The museum will be located in what will be called the Donald W. Reynolds Discovery Center, named after the foundation that has donated more than $190 million to The Smith Center for development. The Discovery Center will cost $43 million, officials said.
“We think the children’s museum rounds out the cultural offerings of the entire complex,” said Steven Anderson, president of the Donald W. Reynolds Foundation.
Linda Quinn, executive director of the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum, said she was excited to work with The Smith Center’s organizers. She said she envisions an area where people who go to see a play will wander into the museum to explore exhibits.
“It really provides a lot of opportunity for families,” Quinn said.
Martin said he hoped The Smith Center’s education team would be able to work closely with the museum to provide unique programming.
“Education is in our DNA at The Smith Center,” Martin said. “It really does matter to us.”
Quinn said the new space comes at an opportune time. In 2006, she said, the museum had about 80,000 visitors -- a number that has continued to increase.
The extra space will not only allow for more visitors, she said, but the three-story, 58,000-square-foot building also will allow for nine distinct exhibit spaces. The current museum is 35,000 square feet with two exhibit spaces, she said.
The Smith Center is a public-private partnership, with about half of the money coming from public funds, Martin said.
The Society Inc The Smith Center for the Performing Arts offers a blend of performances by resident companies and touring attractions. The 5-acre cultural campus features three performance spaces, which includes a main performance area with more than 2,000 seats. This downtown cultural center of Las Vegas looks to educate, entertain and excite community members.
OUR MISSION
To provide and preserve a high-quality performing arts center that is embraced by the community and recognized as a vital force by supporting artistic excellence, education and inspiration for all.
OUR GOALS
To entertain, educate, enrich and inspire the southern Nevada community.
FUNDRAISING OPPORTUNITIES
Thanks to the generous support of our dedicated founders, members, donors and community partners, The Smith Center continues to provide a wide variety of services for Southern Nevada residents, including access to world-class performances, inspirational Education and Outreach programs for students and teachers, and a unique space to host events, meetings and special occasions. Celebrating our fifth season, we depend upon public support to fulfill our mission and serve as the Heart of the Arts for many years to come.
With ticket sales covering just 75 percent of our operating budget for each season, the remaining 25 percent comes from the community we serve. Philanthropic support at all levels helps provide programming that entertains, educates, enriches and inspires. By giving to The Smith Center, you play a vital role in providing an important resource for our community.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
There are many opportunities to volunteer and play a direct role with your community's performing arts complex. Volunteers engage with staff and patrons to enhance experiences at The Smith Center, and can serve in various capacities including tour guide/docent, usher, security team member or community ambassador. As important members of The Smith Center team, volunteers help us remain financially sustainable and provide numerous services for the community. Please show your support for The Smith Center's mission by gifting your time and unique skills.
GIVING OPPORTUNITIES
Members' annual support provides crucial resources for The Smith Center's artistic programming, education opportunities and cultural enrichment each year. There are a variety of giving options and levels, and Members receive exclusive benefits and behind-the-scenes opportunities based on their level of support. To learn more, please visit www.thesmithcenter.com/support-us/members.
The Encore Society recognizes those generous donors who have included The Smith Center as a part of their estate plan. Corporate Sponsorship is available to companies to underwrite all, or part, of a program, performance or event.
Fanfare! is The Smith Center's young progressional networking organization, open to anyone with an interest in the performing arts who is between the ages of 21-40. And our Show Dedication allows for the celebration of an individual or special occasion with unique recognition opportunities during a specific performance.
SERVICE AREA
The Smith Center provides world-class performing arts and outreach and education throughout the Southern Nevada region.
YEAR ESTABLISHED
2012.
The organization originally formed in 1996 as the Las Vegas Performing Arts Center.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Myron G. Martin President and CEO Donald D. Snyder Chairman Dr. Keith Boman Vice Chairman Mark Tratos Secretary Michael Yackira Treasurer David Dunn Alan M. Feldman Richard Haddrill Fred Hipwell Nancy Houssels Todd-Avery Lenahan Scott MacTaggart Jerry Nadal John Nelson Richard Plaster Rory Reid Kim Sinatra Roger P. Thomas 4104 Cathedral Falls Ave North Las Vegas,
NV
702-749-2000
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